Many known techniques exist for constructing outdoor perimeter fencing. Several, sometimes conflicting requirements have to be met, and in some taxing applications conventional approaches have problems.
Some known fencing systems are based on tubular structures that are rust prone and tend to leave gaps in the fence line between the poles, which results in less privacy in the fence row. Typically, these designs are more focused on visual exterior appearance than durability. One problem with tubular fences is that the picket is primed of bent sheet metal to be a hollow tube with two bolts going through each often indicating that they cannot be tightened very tight or they will collapse or create a dent in the face of the picket. This tends to cause a problem if installed by a homeowner who is usually not qualified to install this kind of fence. The picket tops are usually not adjustable but will still fit the picket but could have a gap if the picket is adjusted open to its maximum diameter, whereby the fence can conform to the terrain but will not uphold the picket levelness at the top from panel to panel because of a first bracket set up on the ground pole, which is typically a strap. Moreover, when a required second bracket on the pole is placed above or below the first bracket, the next panel is made correspondingly higher or lower thereby causing the top of each panel to not be level from pole to pole.
Similarly, other approaches use preformed square tubes, which have cross rails with a notch cut into the picket side of the tube. This configuration tends to allow water to sit inside the cross rail with no way for the water to drain at least because the cross rail is mounted to the side of the ground poles. This approach may create a privacy fence but will not generally be able to conform to the terrain unless the cross rails are moved up and down on the ground pole, which creates a stair step in the fence line. Other kind of preformed square tube designs do not naturally conform with the terrain at least because all of the pickets are riveted to the cross rail in four places on each cross rail thus limiting their use to flat terrains. Moreover, complete privacy may be lost due to the use of a bracket to hold the cross rail, and because the space that tends to be between the picket and the ground pole.
Yet other conventional preformed square tubing approaches use u-bolts to hold the cross rail such that it is just sticking out and is, thereby, prone to causing injury. Similar to other versions, the channel having an open face will tends to hold water as well as dirt. Such fencing systems, likewise, will not completely conform to the terrain, thereby causing gaps at the bottom of the fence line.
Conventional approaches to privacy fencing tend to block allow airflow thereby increasing the pressure on the fence line, which tends to decreases the stability and lifespan of the privacy fencing system.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for improved techniques for privacy fencing that are desirably essentially maintenance free, and conform with non-level terrains while maintaining a straight line.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.